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Quidditch
'''Quidditch '''is a magical sport in the wizarding world. Playing on the school level at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, or on the Professional Quidditch level at the League and European Cups. The Ministry of Magic regulates the game at the Department of Magical Games and Sports alongside the International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee. Played on brooms the goal of the game is to achieve more points than the current opponent. The game ends when the Golden Snitch is caught or when an agreement is made between both teams captains. Games can go on for days if these conditions aren't met, and the longest game on record went on for sixth months. It's a dangerous sport but no one has died playing in years and is relatively safe nowadays thanks to medical advancements at St. Mungo's. The game is played on an oval shaped Quidditch Pitch that measures five-hundred feet long and eighty-feet wide with a small central circle about two-feet wide. This central circle is where the balls will be released at the games start. There are three circular goal posts at either end of the pitch. Due to the aerial nature of the sport, viewing stands are often raised high off the ground. Overview Since the game can go on almost indefinitely, the game is not played in stages but team Captains' can call time outs. The goal of the game is to gain more points than the other, the easiest way to do this is to catch the Golden Snitch and end the game. That said it is not impossible to catch the Snitch and still lose the game, especially if the game has been going on for an exceptionally long time. To score points, team Chasers will fight to take hold of the Quaffle and make goals against the opposite teams goal post. While the Keeper and Beaters support their team in their specific functions. Outside assistance in the form of charms or spells is illegal and anyone found to have hexed a ball to either injure or push a teams favor in a game can find themselves on the receiving end of legal ramifications. Positions Overview A Quidditch team is comprised of seven players of which there are four positions to play on. Each position has it's own function within the game and each player must work in tandem to ensure victor. The Seeker There is only one Seeker on any Quidditch team. The goal of the Seeker is to find an capture the Golden Snitch. This position is highly feted and only the most perceptive and dexterous of players can take on this position. Catching the Snitch will end the game, and as most Snitch captures mean a win for the team often times this is the most popular position in the media and fan bases. The Chaser(s) Chasers full-fill the role as the only other point scoring position on the team. Good team dynamic among Chasers can turn the tide of a game. Forcing an opposite teams Seeker to abandon the Golden Snitch to prevent ending the game in the opposing teams favor. Good Chasers will work in tandem with the team Beaters as to put the other team in a position where ending the game would be a non-desirable option. A team with a bad Seeker can still win if they have excellent Chasers. The Keeper Serving as the opposite of the Chaser, the Keeper is tasked with defending the team goal posts. Preventing Chasers from making goals throughout the game ensures that the Keepers team Seeker is free to seek the Snitch without fear of ending the game in favor of the opposing team. A well skilled Keeper can face off even the most highly trained Chasers if proper strategy is not formed. Chasers need exceptional teamwork if they are to get a score past a good Keeper. The Beater(s) Unlike the other positions, the Beater takes on a far more offensive role. Using bats the Beaters job is to protect their team from incoming Bludgers and to disrupt the play of the opposite team. Well played batting can stop Chaser plays from turning the tides of the game and even stop Seeker's from catching the Golden Snitch. Good tactics between Chasers and Beaters can overwhelm an opposing team. Forcing players to fall into evasive tactics, distracted long enough for Chasers to make goals. Careful tactics must be applied to evade Beater bounced Bludgers, and a certain level of trust in the Beater's team must be had. Balls Overview Three unique ball are used in a game of Quidditch, but four will be in play at all times. The Golden Snitch This is the most famous item in relation to Quidditch. The Golden Snitch is a tiny, winged, gold gilded ball that flies around the Quidditch Pitch at high speeds. Hard to see and even harder to catch the ultimate goal of any team is to be the first to catch the Golden Snitch. Catching the Snitch awards the Seeker's team one-hundred and fifty points, almost always winning the game. The Quaffle The only non-autonomous ball in the game, the Quaffle is used by Chasers and Keepers to score points while the Seeker hunts the Golden Snitch. Every goal awards ten points to the team who made the goal. In long games, getting multiple goals is often the only viable tactic to prevent total victory of a caught snitch. It would take sixteen Quaffle goals to overcome a caught Snitch; something that becomes very easy for good Chasers in long games. The Bludger Far more dangerous than it's siblings, the Bludger is an autonomous, aggressive ball. Two Bludgers will be in play at any given time as to keep all players on their toes. Teams with lackluster Beaters can quickly find themselves down a player, on the other hand when up against a team with exceptional Beaters the same can happen. This is the only ball in play that does not score points but can change tide of a game instantly depending on the tactics of the players.